1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a clip device for fixing a window glass in a motor vehicle, and more particularly to improvements in a clip device for fixing a window glass in a motor vehicle, having a moulding covering the outer surface of a clip assembly comprising a body side clip solidly secured to the vehicle body at a position adjacent an outer perpheral edge of the window glass, and a clip body tightened and fixed to the body side clip by means of a screw and having a forward end portion for pressing the outer peripheral edge of the window glass.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As has been seen in many publications such as, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid Opens Nos. 58-54,315, 58-135,310, 57-141,113, 56-136,811 and 55-106,109, there has been proposed a clip device for fixing a window glass in a motor vehicle.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as the conventional clip device for fixing a window glass in a motor vehicle of this type, there has been one having a moulding 8 covering the outer surface of a clip assembly 10 comprising: a body side clip 4 solidly secured to the vehicle body 3 at a position adjacent an outer peripheral edge 2A of a window glass 2 in a motor vehicle 1; a screw 5 threadably coupled to the body side clip 4; a clip body 6 tightened and fixed to the body side clip 4 by means of the screw 5 and having a forward end portion 6A for pressing the outer peripheral edge 2A of the window glass 2; and a retainer 7 tightened and fixed together with the clip body 6 to the body side clip 4 by means of the screw 5 from the outside of the clip body 6.
Referring to FIG. 4, designated at 9 is an pressure-sensitive form sealer interposed between the inner surface of the outer peripheral edge 2A of the window glass and the vehicle body 3, for sealing a space formed therebetween, at 11 a hole formed in the vehicle body 3, into which the body side clip 4 is coupled, at 12 a seal interposed between the clip body 6 and the vehicle body 3 around the hole 11, for sealing a space formed therebetween and preventing water leakage through the hole 11, and at 13 a seal secured to an end portion of the moulding 8, for contacting the outer surface of the window glass 2 to seal a space formed therebetween.
In the conventional clip device for fixing a window glass in a motor vehicle as described above, since the clip body 6 substantially presses the outer peripheral edge of the window glass 2 through the forward end portion 6A thereof, a considerably high mechanical strength is required from the forward end portion 6A, and hence, the forward end portion 6A is formed to have a considerable thickness meeting the requirement of this mechanical strength.
Furthermore, the moulding 8 is engaged with projections 6B and 6C projecting from, respectively, the left and right end portions of the clip body 6, as shown in the FIG. 4, and adapted to cover the outer surface of the clip assembly 10.
In consequence, the height of this moulding 8 measured from the surface of the window glass 2, i.e., a difference in stage H, must be sufficient for covering a sum of the thickness of the forward end portion 6A of the clip body 6 from the surface of the window glass 2, the thickness of the retainer 7 and the thickness of the head 5A of the screw 5.
When irregularities on the outer surface of the motor vehicle are minimized, i.e., a flush surface is adopted so as to reduce the air resistance during movement of the motor vehicle at high speed, the difference in stage H has been disadvantages in that it serves as one of causes of the increasing the air resistance.